David A. Fulghum

Articles

Three elements could change the march toward a conflict with Iran over its nuclear weapons program – the fall of the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad, Iran’s big supporter, and decisions by Russia and China to not pour advanced weapons into the region and to pressure Tehran to stop its indigenous development of weapons of mass destruction.

If Iran is bombed to slow its nuclear development program, the actual targets would be a mix of uranium-enrichment and reactor facilities, ballistic missile cantonments and mobile launchers, radar surveillance sites and air bases.

Syria is not in any jeopardy of near-term intervention by NATO, says the organization’s number two official, although he notes that alliance member air forces have restocked their supplies of precision-guided munitions since the conflict in Libya, where shortages became a concern.

“There has been a rebuilding process,” says Alex Vershbow, NATO’s deputy secretary general and a former U.S. ambassador to Russia. “Countries took measures to ensure they [will not] run out. There is recognition that we have to be prepared for the next [intervention].”

LOD, Israel — Israel is ready to test the complete version of its improved Arrow missile defense system to demonstrate that it can reach farther and higher to destroy newer, higher-speed ballistic weapons.

The modifications also will provide the basis for even more improvements. These include the ability to search more of the electromagnetic spectrum for elusive, high-speed missile threats being designed and tested by Iran.

TEL AVIV — Israeli intelligence planners are trying to predict how and when Syria’s government will fall, and who will be there to protect or loot the country’s military equipment, particularly Syria’s stock of chemical weapons, ballistic missiles and long-range, anti-aircraft missiles.

“What will happen to Bashar [Assad, Syria’s president] is very interesting to us, but it is also a great mystery,” says Col. Erez Viezel, a conceptual planner for Israeli Defense Intelligence (IDI). “We want to know how much control he has over the things that threaten us.”

TEL AVIV — Israeli intelligence planners are trying to predict how and when Syria’s government will fall, and who will be there to protect or loot the country’s military equipment, particularly Syria’s stock of chemical weapons, ballistic missiles and long-range, anti-aircraft missiles.

“What will happen to Bashar [Assad, Syria’s president] is very interesting to us, but it is also a great mystery,” says Col. Erez Viezel, a conceptual planner for Israeli Defense Intelligence (IDI). “We want to know how much control he has over the things that threaten us.”

There is much activity to keep tabs on. In Syria, a civil war rages; in Iran, a ballistic missile force and nuclear weapons are being designed; and in Egypt, the Sinai Peninsula has turned into a largely ungoverned area that is home to stateless militant groups and smugglers of weapons, drugs and humans. They thrive there with the approval of some of the region’s larger Bedouin tribes.

Despite the very public alarm bells rung recently over the breathing problems affecting F-22 Raptor pilots, Japanese officials have shown no concern about basing the jet fighters in their country, U.S. Air Force officials say.

This is in stark contrast to the consternation displayed by Japanese officials because of recent flight accidents involving the V-22 Osprey as the U.S. Marine Corps deploys the tiltrotors to the region.

PALMACHIM AB, Israel — Israel is a small country and its skies are periodically packed with fighters, airliners, helicopters, unmanned aircraft, missiles and rockets. The increasing technical and geographic complexity is driving planners to seek greater coordination and synchronization of air, space, land and sea operations.

The first element of what could become the U.S. Navy’s sophisticated Next-Generation Jammer (NGJ) and electronic attack weapon has flown. The $2 billion program is expected to enter its final phase next July.

The Northrop Grumman candidate NGJ pod features the company’s unique power-generating system. Finding a system that can provide the massive amounts of power needed has been a stumbling block for the development of airborne electronic-attack and directed-energy weapons.

TEL AVIV — Israel and the U.S. military have drawn similar conclusions about how to pick their cyber-warriors, although the Israelis appear to be establishing a lead in identifying and training their electronic special forces.

The problem is a sports metaphor. It involves separating the erratic, eccentric superstar from the organized, focused genius. Both can be naturals. But only one can lead a team in solving a problem that requires many teams working in tandem.

TEL AVIV — Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) new CEO, Joseph Weiss, will be sorting out four important international contracts as his first order of business, ranging from aircraft to satellite efforts.

The first contract involves developing airport robotics — in particular the Taxibot aircraft tug — with Airbus. A second with Spacecom Satellite Communications is to produce the AMOS-6 communications spacecraft and ground station.